THIRTY per cent of pupils who queried their exam results saw their marks go up, according to new figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

Of the 58,035 grades appealed in 2022, 17,300 were successful.

This year saw school kids head back to the exam hall for the first time since before the pandemic.

But there were still questions over the fairness of the tests, with last winter's Omicron variant sparking widespread absences. 

SQA bosses revealed in February that, in recognition of ongoing disruption linked to the pandemic, they were prepared to be “generous” when setting grade boundaries - the minimum marks needed to get an A, B, C or D.

They also said the expectation was that overall outcomes in 2022 would “represent an intermediary position” between 2019 – the last year a conventional diet took place prior to Covid – and 2021, when Higher and Advanced Higher A passes soared by nearly 20 per cent. 

 

 

Fiona Robertson, SQA’s Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said: "This is the first year that exams have taken place since 2019, but 2022 did not mark a return to normal. It was right that SQA and the wider education community put in place a wide-ranging package of support for learners.

"The final part of this package, the Appeals 2022 service, enabled those learners who didn’t perform to their best on the day to have other assessments gathered throughout the year assessed by experienced subject leaders - teachers and lecturers who work with us throughout the year in creating assessments and supporting markers.

"They had no knowledge of learners’ exam grades or estimates and assessed the evidence provided by schools and colleges against national standards, and the process was robust, credible and fair.

"When combined with the results in August, this year’s appeals outcomes reflect the strong set of results Scotland’s learners have achieved overall.

"Learners have shown incredible resilience and commitment, and everyone in Scotland’s education community has worked hard to support their efforts.

"I would encourage those learners who didn’t receive the appeals outcomes they hoped for this year to talk to their teacher or lecturer about their next steps in learning."

 

The SQA also published an analysis of the relationship between estimates from teachers and lecturers and the actual results awarded. In 2022, 81% of entries had the same grade or higher than predicted